Here's your ultimate guide to the holidays in Kendal! Find all the best festive events and activities. Whether you're a Kendal native or a curious traveler, this guide unlocks the city's festive secrets.
Kendal is adorned with seasonal cheer, and the Carlisle Christmas Market offers a lovely blend of local crafts, delicious food, and a lively atmosphere, perfect for Christmas shopping. Unique festive stalls and twinkling lights bring the spirit of the season to life in this delightful setting. And definitely don't forget the Kendal Christmas Light Switch On, a joyous occasion that marks the start of the holiday celebrations with twinkling illuminations across the town. For more details on these and other fun events and activities, see below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Kendal
- Kendal Mountain Festival
- Carlisle Christmas Market (Carlisle)
- Kendal Christmas Light Switch On
- Santa Express Train at Ravenglass (Ravenglass)
- Kendal Christmas Celebration
- Father Christmas at Walby Farm Park (Crosby-on-Eden)
- Beetham Nurseries Christmas Markets (Beetham)
- Kendal Music Festival
- Christmas in Cartmel (Cartmel)
- Holker Hall & Gardens Christmas Market (Cark)
See these and even more events listed below!
Kendal Holiday Light Displays
Kendal Christmas Light Switch On
What to Expect:
Community-driven light switch event with local music and food.
Description:
Join Kendal in celebrating the festive season with the Christmas Light Switch On event at Riverside Hotel. Enjoy a lively atmosphere with local music, food, and drinks as the town centre is illuminated with festive lights.
Where: Kendal | More Info: Kendal Christmas Light Switch On
Kendal Holiday Markets and Shopping
Kendal Christmas Celebration
What to Expect:
Holiday market with festive atmosphere and Christmas-themed stalls.
Description:
Kendal Christmas Celebration features a festive event with a magical grotto, joyful Christmas melodies, and an array of stalls offering delightful Christmas delights.
Where: Kendal | More Info: Kendal Christmas Celebration
Beetham Nurseries Christmas Markets
What to Expect:
Alpine-inspired shopping village with local artisan producers.
Description:
Beetham Nurseries Christmas Markets feature festive chalets with local businesses, delicious food and drink, and live music, creating a vibrant atmosphere for family fun.
Where: Beetham | More Info: Beetham Nurseries Christmas Markets
Carlisle Christmas Market
What to Expect:
Traditional German market with local artisans and live music.
Description:
The Carlisle Christmas Market offers a variety of authentic German-inspired stalls selling handcrafted holiday decor and gifts, accompanied by live music and festive food.
Where: Carlisle | More Info: Carlisle Christmas Market
Coniston Hotel Christmas Fair
What to Expect:
Unique blend of local suppliers and festive offerings.
Description:
The Coniston Hotel Christmas Market offers a variety of stalls featuring health and beauty products, jewellery, arts and crafts, fashion, children's toys, food and drink, and novelty items. Guests can enjoy complimentary entrance and be entered into a draw to win a Festive Spa Day for two.
Where: Coniston | More Info: Coniston Hotel Christmas Fair
Holker Hall & Gardens Christmas Market
What to Expect:
A vibrant winter market with live music and diverse stalls.
Description:
Holker Hall & Gardens Christmas Market offers a delightful winter experience with live music, amazing food and drink, and over 100 stalls bursting with crafts, textiles, gifts, and experiences.
Where: Cark | More Info: Holker Hall & Gardens Christmas Market
Kendal Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Kendal Music Festival
What to Expect:
Celebration of local artists and community culture.
Description:
Kendal Music Festival is a free event celebrating community and artistry with live acts and culture spanning various genres across venues in Kendal.
Where: Kendal | More Info: Kendal Music Festival
Christmas in Cartmel
What to Expect:
Traditional Christmas services in a historic priory setting.
Description:
Celebrate Christmas in Cartmel with a variety of services including the Christingle Service, Cartmel Choral Society Concert, and Nine Lessons and Carols. The Priory offers a warm welcome to all, making it a special place for festive celebrations.
Where: Cartmel | More Info: Christmas in Cartmel
Kendal Other Holiday Activities
Kendal Mountain Festival
What to Expect:
Largest festival of its kind with diverse film, talk, and activity programs.
Description:
The Kendal Mountain Festival is a four-day celebration of adventure, culture, and nature, featuring over 200 live sessions including 300 speakers, 180 films, and 80 activities.
Where: Kendal | More Info: Kendal Mountain Festival
Kendal Torchlight Carnival
What to Expect:
Community-driven celebration with handmade lanterns and diverse performances.
Description:
The Kendal Torchlight Carnival is a vibrant community event celebrating Kendal's creative spirit with a procession and street festival featuring colourful floats, performers, and handmade lanterns based on the elements theme.
Where: Kendal | More Info: Kendal Torchlight Carnival
Cumbria's Whisky Festival
What to Expect:
Showcase of over 200 global whiskies with bookable Masterclasses.
Description:
The Kendal Whisky Festival in Cumbria brings together 40 exhibitors showcasing over 200 whiskies from around the globe, featuring bookable Masterclasses and an on-site whisky shop.
Where: Kendal | More Info: Cumbria's Whisky Festival
Taste Cumbria
What to Expect:
Exclusive fine dining experience with local seasonal produce.
Description:
Taste Cumbria is a Michelin-starred pop-up restaurant celebrating local seasonal produce in beautiful Cumbrian settings. Chef Jack Bond will create a five-course menu featuring dishes like gin-cured trout and beef with black garlic, set amidst stunning surroundings at Low Hall Lakes.
Where: Various | More Info: Taste Cumbria
Santa Express Train at Ravenglass
What to Expect:
Interactive Santa meet-and-greet with festive treats.
Description:
Join the Santa Express Train at Ravenglass for a 40-minute journey to Dalegarth Grotto, where Santa Claus and his helpers await. Children will meet Santa and receive a gift, while adults enjoy festive snacks and drinks. The event includes activity packs and festive refreshments.
Where: Ravenglass | More Info: Santa Express Train at Ravenglass
Father Christmas at Walby Farm Park
What to Expect:
Interactive Christmas activities with real reindeer.
Description:
Meet Father Christmas and his friends at Walby Farm Park, where you can enjoy a variety of festive activities, including visiting passport control, snow time fun, and decorating gingerbread biscuits. The event includes meeting real reindeer, making reindeer food, and exchanging a magical golden coin for a gift in the Elves' Toyshop. There are also photo opportunities and a chance to toast marshmallows.
Where: Crosby-on-Eden | More Info: Father Christmas at Walby Farm Park
Lacock Abbey Christmas Events
What to Expect:
Interactive Storytime sessions with Mother Christmas.
Description:
Lacock Abbey transforms into a seasonal wonderland with community Christmas trees, Storytime with Mother Christmas in the Servant's Hall, and festive decorations throughout the abbey grounds and courtyard. Pre-school sessions and relaxed sessions for children with additional sensory needs are available. The Great Hall re-opens for the Christmas period with traditional decorations.
Where: Lacock | More Info: Lacock Abbey Christmas Events
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- Morecambe (18 miles)
- Lancaster (19 miles)
- Barrow in Furness (24 miles)
- Fleetwood (30 miles)
- Thornton-Cleveleys (33 miles)
- Fylde (35 miles)
- Whitehaven (37 miles)
- Blackpool (37 miles)
- Workington (39 miles)
- Preston (39 miles)
- Carlisle (40 miles)
- Colne (40 miles)
- Nelson (41 miles)
- Blackburn (41 miles)
- Lytham St Annes (42 miles)
- Burnley (42 miles)
- Accrington (43 miles)
- Leyland (44 miles)
- Darwen (45 miles)